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Visitors to Sri Lanka must obtain a visa, either on arrival to Sri Lanka or in advance, unless they are a citizen of one of the visa-exempt countries. Most visitors entering for tourism purposes are required to obtain an electronic visa (e-Visa) or a visa on arrival, unless they are exempt from obtaining one. [1] However, citizens of some countries must obtain a visa in advance instead of an e-Visa before being allowed to enter Sri Lanka. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months. [2]

On 17 April 2024, Sri Lanka replaced its previous Electronic Travel Authorisation system with a new e-Visa system, [3] operated by VFS Global. [4] However, the new e-Visa system's increased fees were criticised by Sri Lankan opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who claimed that Russian airline Red Wings Airlines had ceased operating flights to Sri Lanka due in part to the increased visa fees, and warned that the tourism industry could be brought to a "standstill". [4]

Visa policy map

Visa policy of Sri Lanka
  Sri Lanka
  Visa not required (90 days)
  Visa not required (60 days, 90 days within any 1 year)
  Visa not required (30 days)
  Gratis eVisa (30 days)
  eVisa / Visa on arrival (30 days)
  Visa on arrival (30 days)
  Visa required

Visa exemption

Ordinary passports

On the basis of reciprocity, citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Sri Lanka, for stays up to the duration listed below: [5]

Alternatively, nationals of visa-exempt countries who instead choose to apply for a "Standard tourist visa" online are exempt from paying visa fees. [3]

Non-ordinary passports

Holders of diplomatic, official, service or special passports of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Sri Lanka, for stays up to the duration listed below: [5] [7] [8]

D - Diplomatic passports
O - Official passports
S - Service passports
Sp - Special passports
PA - Passports endorsed for "public affairs".
1 - 90 days
2 - 30 days
3 - 60 days, 90 days within any 1 year-period.
4 - 90 days within any 180-day period.
5 - 30 days within any 60-day period.

Visa on arrival

Citizens of all other countries except the visa-exempt countries and countries whose citizens require a visa in advance may obtain a visa on arrival which is good for double entry for tourist or good for multiple entries for business, valid for a maximum stay of 30 days. Visas obtained on arrival are generally discouraged as such visas are not automatically approved for entry into Sri Lanka. [9]

Citizens of the following countries and territories are ineligible to obtain an e-Visa, but may obtain a visa on arrival in Sri Lanka. [2] When obtaining a visa on arrival, they must provide a passport photo and fill in additional paperwork, such as a "Declaration of Identity for Visa Purpose", in order to be granted the visa.

Electronic Visa (e-Visa)

Citizens of all other countries except the countries whose citizens either require a visa obtained on arrival or in advance may also obtain an e-Visa online. [1]

Prospective visitors can apply for the following types of tourism/business e-Visas (unless otherwise noted):

Validity Number of entry Duration of stay* Visa fee Note
30 days Single up to 30 days Gratis Only tourists who are citizens of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia or Thailand may obtain this type of visa. For more details see below.
6 months Double up to 60 days 35 or 75 USD SAARC member states: 35 USD
Non- SAARC member states: 75 USD
1 year Multiple up to 90 days 200 USD People who engage diplomatic or consular activities may get visa fee waived.
2 years Multiple up to 180 days 300 USD
5 years Multiple up to 180 days 500 USD
10 years Multiple up to 180 days 1000 USD

* - Duration of stay demonstrates how many days visitor may stay in each entry.

Moreover, a US$18.50 service fee [4] as well as a US$5 "convenience fee" is charged by VFS Global for each visa application, regardless of the type of e-Visa. [10]

Gratis e-Visa

From 24 October 2023 until further notice, citizens of the following 7 countries are eligible for a gratis e-Visa (single entry) for tourism purposes only, valid for a maximum stay of 30 days. [11]

e-Visa restrictions

Citizens of Taiwan must select " China (Special Administrative Region of China)" as their nationality when applying for an e-Visa.

Visa required in advance

Citizens of the following countries are ineligible to apply for both an e-Visa and a visa on arrival independently, [2] and thus must obtain a visa in advance from one of the Sri Lankan diplomatic missions around the world: [11]

When obtaining a visa at a Sri Lankan diplomatic mission, they must present the following documents: [11]

  • Police clearance report
  • If the applicant is coming from another country after staying for more than 6 months, are required to provide Police clearance from that country and copy of the Visa
  • Certificate from a Sri Lankan guarantor & a photocopy of the guarantors NIC
  • Affidavit from a Sri Lankan JP (justice of peace) or a Lawyer
  • Accommodation information (place of stay)

Entry restrictions

Mandatory yellow fever vaccination

Citizens of the following countries must present a yellow fever vaccination certificate upon arrival in order to enter Sri Lanka: [11]

Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving in Sri Lanka on a short-term basis were from the following countries: [12] [13]

Foreign visitors to Sri Lanka
Country 6/2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
  India 184,468 302,844 123,004 56,268 89,357 355,002 424,887
  Russia 114,104 197,498 91,272 16,984 49,397 86,549 64,497
  United Kingdom 89,352 130,088 85,187 16,646 55,455 198,776 254,176
  Germany 70,070 102,539 55,542 12,442 34,507 134,899 156,888
  China [14] 63,816 68,789 4,715 2,417 26,147 167,863 265,965
  France 49,340 56,251 35,482 6,549 24,838 87,623 106,449
  Australia 40,746 67,436 30,924 4,421 20,283 92,674 110,928
  United States 32,717 46,344 22,230 6,124 16,842 68,832 75,308
  Poland 23,896 17,946 15,195 2,110 11,908 20,896 20,378
  Maldives 23,803 37,298 18,880 6,272 9,407 60,278 76,108
  Canada 22,223 43,944 26,845 5,079 12,346 48,729 52,681
  Netherlands 19,466 29,056 11,987 2,422 8,656 38,993 57,160
  Italy 14,228 22,242 7,449 1,309 8,603 36,147 38,379
   Switzerland 13,554 23,556 13,260 2,974 6,389 29,981 33,965
  Czech Republic 12,443 12,056 7,350 1,864 7,599 19,204 17,600
  Japan 12,430 19,583 3,087 392 6,644 30,079 49,450
  Spain 12,362 23,905 12,895 2,015 3,385 24,489 29,208
  Israel 11,163 19,517 9,326 1,724 3,556 14,770 13,833
  Malaysia 8,932 10,940 2,779 323 3,494 16,861 22,808
  Kazakhstan 8,611 5,130 8,068 5,754 2,333 2,399 2,721
  Austria 8,451 10,594 5,541 1,502 4,300 14,713 19,320
  Denmark 8,145 10,346 7,278 1,302 4,905 16,869 19,223
  Belarus 7,013 10,969 3,621 646 2,638 4,796 4,621
  Belgium 6,790 10,667 6,164 1,283 3,371 14,948 17,519
  Sweden 6,538 8,643 5,097 1,601 7,061 22,464 28,267
  Pakistan 6,330 10,744 6,260 7,520 3,065 14,655 19,116
  Iran 6,220 10,322 4,301 397 648 3,249 5,720
  Norway 5,967 8,747 5,983 1,141 3,019 13,446 17,217
  Singapore 5,888 9,551 3,770 557 2,545 13,871 19,861
  South Korea 5,155 7,298 1,843 389 2,499 12,195 15,748
  New Zealand 4,964 7,913 2,866 325 2,324 12,463 13,825
  Taiwan 4,948 4,999 363 42 1,985 7,127 8,187
  Ireland 4,513 5,136 3,056 559 2,294 8,254 10,830
  Ukraine 4,431 5,082 14,917 7,037 17,169 35,051 36,515
  Lithuania 4,378 2,722 2,115 383 1,054 2,793 3,386
  Slovakia 3,985 4,464 2,432 664 1,513 4,944 5,289
  Thailand 3,930 4,922 1,725 247 1,880 9,861 9,178
  Hungary 3,915 3,786 2,324 445 1,588 4,091 4,514
  Turkey 3,629 3,739 1,514 309 2,121 4,972 4,262
  Romania 3,425 4,092 3,313 820 1,724 5,463 5,931
  Portugal 2,936 3,943 1,906 372 1,602 5,193 5,933
  Estonia 2,775 1,808 978 376 1,185 2,516 2,744
  Saudi Arabia 2,714 6,797 5,952 1,596 4,755 15,707 34,703
  Philippines 2,614 4,164 1,961 529 4,249 14,590 19,303
  Finland 2,394 2,287 1,500 341 2,298 7,028 8,888
  South Africa 2,248 3,444 1,502 272 1,364 7,132 7,416
    Nepal 2,208 4,750 1,065 325 1,384 5,414 5,302
  Egypt 2,017 3,091 2,340 400 956 3,708 3,854
  Lebanon 1,885 3,347 1,606 547 483 4,304 5,521
  Slovenia 1,579 1,927 602 91 800 2,926 3,902
Total 1,010,249 1,487,303 719,978 194,495 507,704 1,913,702 2,333,796

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "SL eVisa".
  2. ^ a b c "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Sri Lanka implements new online visa system from today". Travel Trade Journal. 17 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Sri Lanka opposition leader questions visa fee hike". EconomyNext. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Visa exemption list" (PDF).
  6. ^ "Sri Lanka - Travel Page". www.mfa.gov.sg. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore). 4 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Visa fee".
  8. ^ "Diplomatic & Official Visits".
  9. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions".
  10. ^ Srinivasan, Meera (6 May 2024). "Tourism-reliant Sri Lanka faces backlash over new visa system". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d "Information".
  12. ^ "TOURIST ARRIVALS BY COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE 2016" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-07-12. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  13. ^ "Tourist Arrivals by Region – December 2016 & December October 2018" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  14. ^ Including Hong Kong and Macau.

External links

Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Visitors to Sri Lanka must obtain a visa, either on arrival to Sri Lanka or in advance, unless they are a citizen of one of the visa-exempt countries. Most visitors entering for tourism purposes are required to obtain an electronic visa (e-Visa) or a visa on arrival, unless they are exempt from obtaining one. [1] However, citizens of some countries must obtain a visa in advance instead of an e-Visa before being allowed to enter Sri Lanka. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months. [2]

On 17 April 2024, Sri Lanka replaced its previous Electronic Travel Authorisation system with a new e-Visa system, [3] operated by VFS Global. [4] However, the new e-Visa system's increased fees were criticised by Sri Lankan opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who claimed that Russian airline Red Wings Airlines had ceased operating flights to Sri Lanka due in part to the increased visa fees, and warned that the tourism industry could be brought to a "standstill". [4]

Visa policy map

Visa policy of Sri Lanka
  Sri Lanka
  Visa not required (90 days)
  Visa not required (60 days, 90 days within any 1 year)
  Visa not required (30 days)
  Gratis eVisa (30 days)
  eVisa / Visa on arrival (30 days)
  Visa on arrival (30 days)
  Visa required

Visa exemption

Ordinary passports

On the basis of reciprocity, citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Sri Lanka, for stays up to the duration listed below: [5]

Alternatively, nationals of visa-exempt countries who instead choose to apply for a "Standard tourist visa" online are exempt from paying visa fees. [3]

Non-ordinary passports

Holders of diplomatic, official, service or special passports of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Sri Lanka, for stays up to the duration listed below: [5] [7] [8]

D - Diplomatic passports
O - Official passports
S - Service passports
Sp - Special passports
PA - Passports endorsed for "public affairs".
1 - 90 days
2 - 30 days
3 - 60 days, 90 days within any 1 year-period.
4 - 90 days within any 180-day period.
5 - 30 days within any 60-day period.

Visa on arrival

Citizens of all other countries except the visa-exempt countries and countries whose citizens require a visa in advance may obtain a visa on arrival which is good for double entry for tourist or good for multiple entries for business, valid for a maximum stay of 30 days. Visas obtained on arrival are generally discouraged as such visas are not automatically approved for entry into Sri Lanka. [9]

Citizens of the following countries and territories are ineligible to obtain an e-Visa, but may obtain a visa on arrival in Sri Lanka. [2] When obtaining a visa on arrival, they must provide a passport photo and fill in additional paperwork, such as a "Declaration of Identity for Visa Purpose", in order to be granted the visa.

Electronic Visa (e-Visa)

Citizens of all other countries except the countries whose citizens either require a visa obtained on arrival or in advance may also obtain an e-Visa online. [1]

Prospective visitors can apply for the following types of tourism/business e-Visas (unless otherwise noted):

Validity Number of entry Duration of stay* Visa fee Note
30 days Single up to 30 days Gratis Only tourists who are citizens of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia or Thailand may obtain this type of visa. For more details see below.
6 months Double up to 60 days 35 or 75 USD SAARC member states: 35 USD
Non- SAARC member states: 75 USD
1 year Multiple up to 90 days 200 USD People who engage diplomatic or consular activities may get visa fee waived.
2 years Multiple up to 180 days 300 USD
5 years Multiple up to 180 days 500 USD
10 years Multiple up to 180 days 1000 USD

* - Duration of stay demonstrates how many days visitor may stay in each entry.

Moreover, a US$18.50 service fee [4] as well as a US$5 "convenience fee" is charged by VFS Global for each visa application, regardless of the type of e-Visa. [10]

Gratis e-Visa

From 24 October 2023 until further notice, citizens of the following 7 countries are eligible for a gratis e-Visa (single entry) for tourism purposes only, valid for a maximum stay of 30 days. [11]

e-Visa restrictions

Citizens of Taiwan must select " China (Special Administrative Region of China)" as their nationality when applying for an e-Visa.

Visa required in advance

Citizens of the following countries are ineligible to apply for both an e-Visa and a visa on arrival independently, [2] and thus must obtain a visa in advance from one of the Sri Lankan diplomatic missions around the world: [11]

When obtaining a visa at a Sri Lankan diplomatic mission, they must present the following documents: [11]

  • Police clearance report
  • If the applicant is coming from another country after staying for more than 6 months, are required to provide Police clearance from that country and copy of the Visa
  • Certificate from a Sri Lankan guarantor & a photocopy of the guarantors NIC
  • Affidavit from a Sri Lankan JP (justice of peace) or a Lawyer
  • Accommodation information (place of stay)

Entry restrictions

Mandatory yellow fever vaccination

Citizens of the following countries must present a yellow fever vaccination certificate upon arrival in order to enter Sri Lanka: [11]

Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving in Sri Lanka on a short-term basis were from the following countries: [12] [13]

Foreign visitors to Sri Lanka
Country 6/2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
  India 184,468 302,844 123,004 56,268 89,357 355,002 424,887
  Russia 114,104 197,498 91,272 16,984 49,397 86,549 64,497
  United Kingdom 89,352 130,088 85,187 16,646 55,455 198,776 254,176
  Germany 70,070 102,539 55,542 12,442 34,507 134,899 156,888
  China [14] 63,816 68,789 4,715 2,417 26,147 167,863 265,965
  France 49,340 56,251 35,482 6,549 24,838 87,623 106,449
  Australia 40,746 67,436 30,924 4,421 20,283 92,674 110,928
  United States 32,717 46,344 22,230 6,124 16,842 68,832 75,308
  Poland 23,896 17,946 15,195 2,110 11,908 20,896 20,378
  Maldives 23,803 37,298 18,880 6,272 9,407 60,278 76,108
  Canada 22,223 43,944 26,845 5,079 12,346 48,729 52,681
  Netherlands 19,466 29,056 11,987 2,422 8,656 38,993 57,160
  Italy 14,228 22,242 7,449 1,309 8,603 36,147 38,379
   Switzerland 13,554 23,556 13,260 2,974 6,389 29,981 33,965
  Czech Republic 12,443 12,056 7,350 1,864 7,599 19,204 17,600
  Japan 12,430 19,583 3,087 392 6,644 30,079 49,450
  Spain 12,362 23,905 12,895 2,015 3,385 24,489 29,208
  Israel 11,163 19,517 9,326 1,724 3,556 14,770 13,833
  Malaysia 8,932 10,940 2,779 323 3,494 16,861 22,808
  Kazakhstan 8,611 5,130 8,068 5,754 2,333 2,399 2,721
  Austria 8,451 10,594 5,541 1,502 4,300 14,713 19,320
  Denmark 8,145 10,346 7,278 1,302 4,905 16,869 19,223
  Belarus 7,013 10,969 3,621 646 2,638 4,796 4,621
  Belgium 6,790 10,667 6,164 1,283 3,371 14,948 17,519
  Sweden 6,538 8,643 5,097 1,601 7,061 22,464 28,267
  Pakistan 6,330 10,744 6,260 7,520 3,065 14,655 19,116
  Iran 6,220 10,322 4,301 397 648 3,249 5,720
  Norway 5,967 8,747 5,983 1,141 3,019 13,446 17,217
  Singapore 5,888 9,551 3,770 557 2,545 13,871 19,861
  South Korea 5,155 7,298 1,843 389 2,499 12,195 15,748
  New Zealand 4,964 7,913 2,866 325 2,324 12,463 13,825
  Taiwan 4,948 4,999 363 42 1,985 7,127 8,187
  Ireland 4,513 5,136 3,056 559 2,294 8,254 10,830
  Ukraine 4,431 5,082 14,917 7,037 17,169 35,051 36,515
  Lithuania 4,378 2,722 2,115 383 1,054 2,793 3,386
  Slovakia 3,985 4,464 2,432 664 1,513 4,944 5,289
  Thailand 3,930 4,922 1,725 247 1,880 9,861 9,178
  Hungary 3,915 3,786 2,324 445 1,588 4,091 4,514
  Turkey 3,629 3,739 1,514 309 2,121 4,972 4,262
  Romania 3,425 4,092 3,313 820 1,724 5,463 5,931
  Portugal 2,936 3,943 1,906 372 1,602 5,193 5,933
  Estonia 2,775 1,808 978 376 1,185 2,516 2,744
  Saudi Arabia 2,714 6,797 5,952 1,596 4,755 15,707 34,703
  Philippines 2,614 4,164 1,961 529 4,249 14,590 19,303
  Finland 2,394 2,287 1,500 341 2,298 7,028 8,888
  South Africa 2,248 3,444 1,502 272 1,364 7,132 7,416
    Nepal 2,208 4,750 1,065 325 1,384 5,414 5,302
  Egypt 2,017 3,091 2,340 400 956 3,708 3,854
  Lebanon 1,885 3,347 1,606 547 483 4,304 5,521
  Slovenia 1,579 1,927 602 91 800 2,926 3,902
Total 1,010,249 1,487,303 719,978 194,495 507,704 1,913,702 2,333,796

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "SL eVisa".
  2. ^ a b c "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Sri Lanka implements new online visa system from today". Travel Trade Journal. 17 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Sri Lanka opposition leader questions visa fee hike". EconomyNext. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Visa exemption list" (PDF).
  6. ^ "Sri Lanka - Travel Page". www.mfa.gov.sg. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore). 4 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Visa fee".
  8. ^ "Diplomatic & Official Visits".
  9. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions".
  10. ^ Srinivasan, Meera (6 May 2024). "Tourism-reliant Sri Lanka faces backlash over new visa system". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d "Information".
  12. ^ "TOURIST ARRIVALS BY COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE 2016" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-07-12. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  13. ^ "Tourist Arrivals by Region – December 2016 & December October 2018" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  14. ^ Including Hong Kong and Macau.

External links


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